Student Experience

Watch and Participate in Live Classes

Lectures are hosted in classrooms at the Ithaca campus with facilities that enable you to engage directly at every turn. You will be able to ask questions directly to the instructor and discuss activities with students who are both online and in the classroom. Every lecture will have a live audience in the room sharing the experience.

Lecture recordings are also posted after class with options to turn on captions and adjust playback speed. Lecture notes, assignments and other resources are available via each course’s Canvas page, where you will find your complete course calendar.

Interact with your Instructor and Fellow Students

Studying part-time while working means that your time is precious. Every course will host office hours explicitly for their online cohort where instructors and teaching assistants will be available to discuss aspects of the course.

Further, online forums for discussing problems with your classmates provide an opportunity for everyone to learn and share from each other, no matter their location. The Distance Learning Cohort will also have a dedicated channel through which they will meet and interact with the Distance Learning Support staff.

Exams Conducted Locally at Times Convenient to you

No one likes being monitored by a computer, so where exams need to be taken, local proctors at your location will be established so that you can take the exam somewhere comfortable. Other assignments are all submitted online, as they are for everyone already on campus. Feedback is provided online too, so you know that you are on track with the rest of the class.

Visit the Ithaca Campus

At the start of your degree there will be an Orientation at the Ithaca campus where you can get to know your colleagues and the faculty directly. There will be further opportunities throughout your program to visit, including during the summer when the SmallSat Mission Design Project is held. The campus is surrounded by beautiful gorges and views of Cayuga Lake that provide a wonderful environment to stimulate productive and creative work.